Artist: Duotang, Album: The Cons & The Pros, Song: Don't Give Up

"And the more that I push for my place, I just keep falling flat on my face.  And the one's that think I've fallen from grace, just keep pushing their views in my face."  Duotang were a 2 piece from Winnipeg that formed in 1995.  They were one of a few great bands that signed on with Mint Records in Vancouver.  Rod Slaughter was the vocalist, bassist and keyboard player while Sean Allum was the drummer.  Their influence was British invasion stuff like the Kinks, Who, Beatles.  The duo had a big sound and the track, Don't Give Up, is a three minute charm.  The band released three albums between 1995 and 2001.  They then took a break and Rod Slaughter has been filling his time as the vocalist of the band Novillero.  I'm not sure if we will ever see these guys record again but you can find this album and their entire discography on Itunes.  You can read about the band at http://www.mintrecs.com/.  You can hear the song, Don't Give Up, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhdaZwl6TDQ).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy! 

Artist: Red Fisher, Album: War Wagon, Song: Tom BMX

"His name is Tom and he rides his BMX bike."  Red Fisher were a 3 piece punk band from Winnipeg.  They started playing in the late eighties and by the early nineties, they were really hitting their stride as a band.  If you grew up anywhere west of Thunder Bay you likely know this band well.  I found out about them from a friend who grew up in Saskatchewan and remembered seeing them live a number of times.  Although regional perhaps, the band's purpose was born from the skateboarding culture that was drifting up the coast into Canada from California.  And with that, came the lifestyle which included Punk music and a general distaste for anything or anybody that tried to control their independence.  Now I was never a skater.  Fell on my ass too much.  But I did have friends that were into it and I always kept a close ear to what they were listening to.  In the end, it was that lifestyle and music that went mainstream and suddenly, everyone was enjoying it.  My guess is, Red Fisher rode that wave in the nineties after bands like Green Day and Offspring broke.  They were playing venues with 500-1000 screaming kids across the prairies.  They also toured the US with bands like Screaching Weasel, SNFU and the Goo Goo Dolls.  Although courted by major labels, they remained strictly DIY until 1994 when they broke up.  The indie label, G7 Welcoming Committee Records, has re-released their final album, War Wagon, which is also available for download on Itunes.  You can read more about the band at http://www.g7welcomingcommittee.com/bands/redfisher.php.  Interesting fact about Red Fisher is that their drummer Jason Tait went on to become a founding member of the band, the Weakerthans.  You can hear the song, Tom BMX, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge9mfqP3wHU).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Islands, Album: Vapours, Song: No You Don't

"Don't buy dope from the man you don't know."  Islands is mainly one individual named Nick Thorburn along with a revolving cast of musicians from the Montreal area.  The original line up rose from the ashes of a now defunct indie act called the Unicorns.  Members of the Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre and Wolf Parade have all contributed to his music in recent years.  Islands released their debut in 2006 and have garnered a lot of international acclaim.  Vapours is their most recent release (2009) which features the catchy song, No You Don't.  Nick is another artist that also maintains a pop sensibility to his songs and this one is no exception.  It's a trippy tune with a danceable beat.  The band signed with ANTI records in Los Angeles and have been touring the US and Europe.  They have three albums to date.  You can follow Islands at http://www.myspace.com/islands or at http://islandsareforever.com/.  The album, Vapours, is available on Itunes.  You can watch the video for the song, No You Don't, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzA8XejLxE).  The actor, Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Juno), acts in the video.  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Klaatu, Album: Endangered Species, Song: Howl At The Moon

"She was a sleek and slender enchantress.  I'd met in the Casbah.  When her green eyes first met mine, I was overwhelmed with awe."  Klaatu was a rock band from Toronto that was formed in the early seventies.  They were signed to Capitol records and released their debut in 1976.  The band has one of the most interesting stories in Canadian history.  Shortly after the release of their debut, a journalist in Providence, Rhode Island incorrectly reported that Klaatu were actually the Beatles recording under a pseudonym.  The band's sound was similar and the album credits didn't include any pictures of the band or names.  Couple that with the swirling rumours of Paul McCartney's supposed death at the time.  The band's album sales suddenly spiked!  The party continued until the release of this album, Endangered Species, in 1980.  It was the first album by the band that listed more information about where the band was located and it's members.  The album wasn't as commercially successful but it did include this gem at the end of side one, entitled, Howl At The Moon.  Klaatu would release one more album in 1981 before calling it a career.  Their discography was remastered by Bullseye Records.  Unfortunately though, Bullseye is no longer so the only copies available are floating around in the second hand market.  At the time of this blog, Endangered Species, was trading on Ebay and Amazon between $10 and $100. You can hear the song, Howl At The Moon, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDH2EPDIIEY).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Lindy, Album: Lindy, Song: Florence Street

"Into the morning out of a dream.  I thought I thought of everything.  It takes me back to Florence Street."  Lindy is of Icelandic descent but grew up in Manitoba.  His parents were folk singers that travelled and performed for former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.  Lindy settled in Toronto, recorded his self titled debut in Vancouver and released it on the Montreal based label, Aquarius, in 1998.  He is a musical poet.  His songs are melodic and his lyrics are clever.  Florence Street is the lead off track on the album and his style reminds me a lot of Bob Dylan or Ike Reilly.  More recently, Lindy is one half of the group Major Maker which has had some considerable success in Canada.  He does continue to play as a solo artist and you can follow him at http://www.lindymusic.com/.  The self titled debut is available on Itunes.  You can hear the song, Florence Street, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asy_6CBsWJs).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy! 

Artist: Gregory Hoskins And The Stickpeople, Album: Raids On The Unspeakable, Song: Dance Of The Vulnerable

"One minute there and gone the next.  All brotherly love then I'll break his neck.  Someone took a poison cup and threw it in our faces.  Same religion, same retreats, same convictions raised on different streets.  How did it come to this?"  Gregory Hoskins was born and raised in Quebec but launched his music career on the streets of Toronto.  He and his band the Stickpeople released their debut album in 1991 and were signed to True North Records.  They travelled the country opening for the likes of the Neville Brothers and the Indigo Girls before settling down and recording their followup, Raids Of The Unspeakable, in 1993.  This album had a big sound and the song, Dance Of The Vulnerable, is a great example of that.  I find it reminds me of the Waterboys.  Aside from being a great guitarist, Gregory is also a very talented lyricist.  Truly one of our country's hidden treasures.  Gregory still plays and records.  I believe he has some shows coming up in January in Toronto.  You can follow him at http://www.gregoryhoskins.com/.  You can purchase this album and his entire discography on Itunes as well as from his website.  You can hear the track, Dance Of The Vulnerable, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQKsksJuhPE).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!  

Artist: The Flying Public, Album: Harmony Lunch, Song: When They Call My Name

"C'mon, C'mon, C'mon, you must hate it when they call my name."  The Flying Public were a four piece with a big sound from Kitchener, Ontario.  They released what I believe to be their only album in 2004, entitled, Harmony Lunch.  Harmony Lunch is actually a 50's style diner in the city of Kitchener that has been around for half a century or so.  The band's members were Jon McGough, Kyle Squance, Dave Moore and Cameron Dunning.  The album only included 7 tracks but the first one, When They Call My Name, is blazing.  From the opening drum intro until it's end, this song never lets up.  Unfortunately, the band doesn't appear to be recording together anymore and I think this release likely had a very limited pressing.  At the time of this blog, there weren't any copies of the album for sale that I could find.  You can hear the song, When They Call My Name, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRepxKpQJL0).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Shuffle Demons, Album: Streetniks, Song: Spadina Bus

"I want confirmation of my information about my transportation from Spadina station."  The Shuffle Demons are a jazz group from Toronto who formed in the early eighties.  They started out as a street band, busking on various corners in the city.  They soon brought their act indoors and released their debut, Streetniks, in 1985 with Stony Plain records.  The band's popularity exceeded the city's limits thanks to the power of video.  That's how I learned of them back then.  If you tuned into Much Music for any length of time you probably remember their video for the song, Spadina Bus.  The song was a bit of a parody about our public transportation system and more specifically, the Spadina street route.  The band wore wild costumes and had three sax players.  The original members were Rich Underhill, Mike Murley, Dave Parker, Jim Vivian and Stich Wynston.  The band was actually nominated for a Juno as a result of this release and over the span of more than 2 decades, released 6 albums, toured Canada 20 times and Europe 16 times.  They actually did a street busking tour of Europe prior to the release of this album.  The band still gigs and is touring internationally as well.  You can follow them at http://www.shuffledemons.com/.  You can purchase the album, Streetniks, on Itunes.  You can watch the video for Spadina Bus on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZnLjRi_g9o).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Blurtonia, Album: Adventures In The Kingdom Of Blurtonia, Song: Never Less Than Perfect

Blurtonia was the genius of indie rock legend, Ian Blurton, from Toronto.  Within Ian's career trajectory, Blurtonia existed after his time with Change of Heart and before his current band, C'Mon.  Ian's been around the Toronto scene for almost 3 decades I figure.  He's played with the Cowboy Junkies and Scott B. Sympathy.  He's also developed an impressive list of production credits during that time as well.  Ian's got a bit of a throwback sound to his music.  Sloan might be a good comparison, especially with regards to this particular track, Never Less Than Perfect.  It's good time rock and roll with a little trash thrown in.      Adventures In The Kingdom Of Blurtonia was their debut album in 1999.  The band would go through some personnel changes and at one time included Brendan Canning (Broken Social Scene).  They would release one final album in 2001 with Grenadine Records before calling it quits.  Ian has since released a solo album called Happy Endings and a slew of releases with C'Mon.  You can follow him at http://www.myspace.com/sirianblurton or http://www.thisiscmon.com/.  Sir Ian is criminally under appreciated and completely under the radar to most Canadians.  Those that are aware of him, are rabid for his work though.  The album, Adventures In The Kingdom Of Blurtonia, can be purchased at Maple Music.  You can hear the track, Never Less Than Perfect, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWEjn9UTJIU).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy! 

Artist: Andy Sheppard, Album: Swimming In (Realtime), Song: Leaves Of Natangora

Andy Sheppard is a singer songwriter from Simcoe, Ontario originally.  He released his debut in 1995 and after spending some time travelling throughout the world, he released, Swimming In (Realtime), in 1999.  Andy has been widely regarded as a great guitar player but his use of sampling makes him even more unique.  In the song, Leaves Of Natangora, he uses samples of a children's story from the Island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific.  From that sample, he builds a world beat masterpiece.  Andy continues to play and record.  He is apparently working on a new album that is scheduled for release at the end of the year.  He is also a prominent figure on CBC Radio.  Andy recently toured Canada and the UK as part of an International Guitar Night.  You can follow Andy at http://www.andysheppard.com/.  His discography, including this album, is available on Itunes and from CDBaby.  You can hear the song, Leaves Of Natangora, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ac3rkZfqhg).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Lillian Allen, Album: Revolutionary Tea Party, Song: I Fight Back

"Here I am in Canada, bringing up someone else's child.  While someone else and me in absentee, bringing up my own."  Lillian Allen is a dub poet from Toronto.  Originally born and raised in Jamaica, she immigrated to Canada in the early seventies.  Revolutionary Tea Party was likely her first major release although she did have some indie cassette only albums and EP's prior to 1986.  She worked with the reggae band, Truth and Rights, as a lyricist while attending university and that's likely how she became acquainted with the members of another band called, The Parachute Club.  Billy Bryans produced the album and Laurie Conger and Lorraine Segato both play on the album as well.  Lillian is a social activist with razor sharp lyricism.  I Fight Back's theme is centred around the struggles of African American women immigrating to Canada.  However, there are some other tracks on this album like Nellie Belly Swelly and Rub A Dub Style Inna Regent Park that deal with more graphic content.  I don't think I know of any other Canadian artist that is able to depict with word some of the themes that she sings about.  She sounds like a woman possessed on this particular track.  Lillian would go on to become a published author, playwright and advisor to the Canadian government on topics of culture and diversity.  She would also win a Juno award for this album.  Quite an outstanding woman.  Her discography isn't easy to find nowadays.  At the time of this blog, there were vinyl copies of Revolutionary Tea Party for sale on Ebay and Amazon between $20 and $25.  You can hear the song, I Fight Back, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk2QcoiVXFI). As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Fleshpaint Album: Imitate Yourself, Song: Cigarette Religion

"It's your cigarette religion, it's just what it takes to make you see.  So take me higher."  Fleshpaint were an Ottawa band that released their debut album, Imitate Yourself, in 1996.  They were signed to indie label, TOX records and they recorded the album in Montreal.  The band was essentially a three piece in the studio but expanded to 5 members when playing live.  The members were Rick Thomas, Marty Spiro, Jacob Kelly, Kevin Eamon and Dawn Liberty.  Their sound was industrial pop.  The song, Cigarette Religion, is a perfect example of that and received some good airplay on alternative radio when it was released.  As far as I know, the band didn't record another album following this release.  There isn't much on the band but it does appear that some of the players in this band were also members of other bands in the Ottawa area.  I read somewhere that Fleshpaint may have actually been a side project originally.  Nonetheless, they will be remembered for this cool musical nugget in Canadian history.  The album isn't widely available anymore and likely out of print.  At the time of this blog, there were copies trading on Amazon between $20 and $40.  You can hear the song, Cigarette Religion, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Uy4YVYKJ0).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Asexuals, Album: Fitzjoy, Song: Black Sugar

"No matter what you say, you're gonna have to swallow some black black sugar today."  The Asexuals were a punk band from Montreal that formed in the early eighties.  The original line up included John Kastner, Sean Friesen, Paul Remington and T.J. Plenty.  John Kastner would leave the band and form the Doughboys with Scott McCullough (Rusty).  Both of these artists return and guest on the 5th and final album by the band in 1997, entitled, Fitzjoy.  The band had a melodic punk sound.  They've often been referred to in the same sentence as Husker Du and the Replacements.  The lead off track on the album is Black Sugar and I find it sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain.  This band toured the US and Europe.  They opened for Public Image Limited but never really seemed to garner a strong national following in their homeland despite the international accolades.  In 2001, the band would release a compilation entitled, Greater Than Later, which captures the highlights of their entire career.  The original line up of the band recently reformed to do a show this past fall as part of Pop Montreal as well.  This particular release along with their entire catalogue is available for download on Itunes which is great news.  The song, Black Sugar, is also on the Greater Than Later compilation.  You can hear the song, Black Sugar, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwVgfAFgbtE).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!  

Artist: Corky And The Juice Pigs, Album: Buck A Song, Song: Pickle

"So don't put a pickle on my burger because it reminds me of my girl.  Don't put a pickle on my burger because if you do I think I'm going to hurl."  Corky and the Juice Pigs were a three piece musical comedy trio from Windsor.  They released their debut indie cassette entitled, Buck A Song, in 1992.  I remember they broke out around the same time as the Barenaked Ladies whose earlier singles were equally comedic as musical (If I Had A Million Dollars).  The bands actually toured together in the nineties.  The band would re-release much of the material on this release on their self titled CD in 1993.  The song, Pickle, was not re-released however.  I can't remember if I actually heard this song on the radio but I do remember purchasing the cassette at the HMV on Yonge Street in Toronto and going to see the band live at the Rivoli one New Year's Eve.  The three members were Phil Nichol, Greg Neale and Sean Cullen.  Most Canadians likely recognize Sean Cullen.  He has had his own show on CBC, appeared on Jay Leno, Ellen and almost won the Last Comic Standing competition.  He has also performed in plays, written books and released albums of his own.  The band at it's peak performed on the television show, MADtv.  They called it quits in 1998.  You can follow Sean at http://www.seancullen.com/.  At the time of this blog, there was one copy of the indie cassette trading on EBay for $40.  You can hear the song, Pickle, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFI1bLUtfZA).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Carolyn Mark and NQ Arbuckle, Album: Let's Just Stay Here, Song: Downtime

"Letting off steam as only I can, ever since that sleeping dog got up and ran."  Carolyn Mark is a singer songwriter from British Columbia and NQ Arbuckle are from Toronto.  They collaborated and released this gem of an album in 2009, entitled, Let's Just Stay Here.  The track, Downtime, is actually a cover of a Jr. Gone Wild song.  It was off their final album in 1995 called, Simple Little Wish, that Carolyn Mark played on.  It's a great dark country, roots rocker.  The album was released on Carolyn Mark's label, Mint Records but recorded in Toronto.  Carolyn Mark has been recording since the nineties and was previously in bands such as The Vinaigrettes and the Corn Sisters with Neko Case.  You can follow her at http://www.carolynmark.com/index.html.  NQ Arbuckle are Neville Quinlan (NQ), Peter Kesper, Mark Kesper and John Dinsmore.  They've been recording as a band since 2002 and are signed to Six Shooter Records.  You can follow them at http://www.myspace.com/nqarbuckle.  The album is available on Itunes and Amazon.  You can listen to the song, Downtime, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liBsJNflTgw).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: The Age Of Electric, Album: The Ugly EP, Song: Ugly

"Darlings of this primitive age, count your blessings.  You know you're gonna need'em.  All that's been done gets undone today."  Age of Electric were a band from Saskatchewan.  They were made up of siblings Todd and John Kerns as well as siblings Ryan and Kurt Dahle.  They formed in the early nineties and released a couple of indie EP's which included this one.  Bob Rock actually produced their early recordings.  This particular EP, Ugly, benefited from a re-release when they signed on to Cargo Records for distribution.  That along with video rotation for the single, Ugly, helped garner the band some national attention.  Ugly has this heavy metal swagger to it thanks to the strong vocals of Todd Kerns. That guy had quite the prairie howl going on back then.  The band would release two more albums with major label support between 1995 and 1997 but would call it quits in 1998.  Overall, the band had a few singles on the radio that charted well in the mid to late nineties.  Their sound fit nicely between rock and grunge.  However, the Dahle brothers started up another band called Limblifter in 1996.  With the increasing popularity of that band, the writing for the Age of Electric was on the wall so to speak.  The Kerns brothers would go on to form another band called Static in Stereo while the Dahles would emerge again in the New Pornographers.  Quite the family tree of bands that developed from their humble Saskatchewan beginnings.  You can see and hear the Age of Electric legacy at http://www.myspace.com/theageofelectric.  The band's discography is out of print today.  At the time of this blog, there were copies of the Ugly EP on Ebay and Amazon trading between $10 and $50.  You can watch the video for the song, Ugly, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKpzNEB2hNU).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Furnaceface, Album: Unsafe@anyspeed, Song: Rub Me The Wrong Way

"Rub me the wrong way again, against the grain."  Furnaceface were an alternative band from Ottawa.  They were Patrick Banister, Tom Stewart and Dave Dudley.  They formed in the late eighties and released their first indie release in 1991.  They were signed to Cargo records and would release 5 full lengths before breaking up in 1999.  Unsafe@anyspeed was their 4th release in 1996.  The great thing about Furnaceface was that they never stuck to one type of sound.  They would play punk, garage, rock and rap at times.  They used a lot of humour in their music and especially in their videos.  They've written songs about Tipper Gore and Richard Iommi (Black Sabbath) which incidentally had a spoken word contribution from the Metal Queen herself, Lee Aaron.  Definitely search their name on You Tube to see some of their great video work.  But as well, they could take on serious political  subjects without letting them take over the songs.  Rub Me The Wrong Way, is a wonderfully dark rock song.  There are some great tracks on this album, but this one stands above them all I think.  I  would personally recommend any of their releases though.  At the time of this blog, there were copies of Unsafe@anyspeed on Ebay and Amazon trading between $7 and $60.  Tom and Dave are still active in music today, playing in a band called Slo' Tom And The Horseshit Heroes.   Dave Dudley actually played drums on Kathleen Edwards' song, Hockey Skates, from her album, Failer.  You can hear the song, Rub Me The Wrong Way, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Si1SCwHFZ4).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Ironhorse, Album: Ironhorse, Song: Sweet Lui-Louise

"I know you've been out running.  When you've done all your running, run to me."  Ironhorse was formed by Randy Bachman in the years following his departure from BTO in 1976.  The band was signed to Scotti Brothers and released their self-titled debut in 1979.  The other members on the debut release included Tom Sparks, John Pierce and Mike Baird.  The had a few singles off the album and My Sweet Lui-Louise was one of them.  This particular song picks up where Randy left off in BTO.  It shares the same sound that he pioneered there.  The band would run through some line up changes before it's next release and then fold.  Randy would team up with his pal, Fred Turner, from B.T.O, under the name, Union, and release an album following Ironhorse.  Probably not the most successful few years for Randy within the scope of his hall of fame career.  He doesn't even mention this band on his website biography.  Nonetheless, I think it's another fine example of the wonderful music he's created.   So it didn't sell enough.  That certainly isn't the main criteria of a great song or album.  Sometimes timing is everything and maybe this was the wrong time for this record.  It was during the last days of Disco and the Eighties were knocking at the door which would usher in a completely new pop sound with synthesizers as a prominent instrument.  Whatever the reason, sadly this album remains out of print today and very difficult to find.  At the time of this blog, there were vinyl copies on Ebay trading between $20 and $40. You can follow Randy at http://www.randybachman.com/.  You can hear the song, My Sweet Lui-Louise, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn2HzDiONYI).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Ghetto Concept, Album: E-Z On Tha Motion Single, Song: E-Z On Tha Motion

"What's the name of the runaway train..."  Ghetto Concept were a Toronto hip hop group formed in 1989 by Kwajo Cinqo and Dolo.  E-Z On Tha Motion was their second major single released in 1994.  The band was a three piece for this recording, having added rapper Infinite to the fold.  Infinite would later split from the band and resurface as a solo artist a couple of years later.  This song earned the group a Juno award.  They were signed to the independent Groove A Lot label and had a distribution deal with Quality Records.  The song got some good video play on Much Music and if you were in to Hip Hop in the nineties, you were well aware of this band.  They were definitely grittier and more street than a lot of their peers.  The video for this song was very graphic in it's depiction of the neighbourhoods the band was from in Toronto.  You didn't see a lot of that in Canadian Hip Hop videos up until this point.  These guys were also supremely talented lyricists and the production by Toronto duo, Da Grassroots, really put this song on the level with what was coming up from the US at the time.  The group would go on to release a self-titled full length in 1998 but I don't believe this track was ever included on it.  I have only ever seen a single of this particular song.  They would also carry on as a duo and form 7 Bills Entertainment and later, G7 Records.  Both labels focusing on emerging talent from the neighbourhoods they came from.  There are a couple of places to follow the band.  http://www.myspace.com/ghettoconcept or http://www.myspace.com/gcunplugged.  At the time of this blog, there were vinyl copies of the song, E-Z On Tha Motion, available on Ebay and Discogs between $1 and $30.  You can watch the video for the song, E-Z On Tha Motion, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wol_hLlwDdg).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Two Tone Skuds, Album: The All Ska-nadian Club ll, Song: Two Tone Skuds Theme

"Roger, Roger, we got skuds coming down."  When Ska is good, it is infectious.  You can't help but love it.  From time to time, bands of this genre breakthrough from the underground and have great success.  Bedouin Soundclash would be a great Canadian example.  The problem is that for every one band that breaks through, there are hundreds of good bands that don't.  Thankfully, the Union Label Group or STOMP records out of Quebec has made it their sole purpose to educate the listening public about ska.  The All Ska-nadian Club Series of releases is one of the great ways they have compiled ska artists from across the country and made them more widely accessible.  A lot of the artists featured on this compilation get radio support from college and university stations within the country so their listener audience is limited.  STOMP was the first of three labels that exist under the umbrella of the Union Label Group but the only one that specializes in Ska.  All Ska-nadian Club Vol.2 was released in 1996.  The track, Two Tone Skuds, by the band of the same name is a bit of a mystery track on the compilation.  The writing credits are marked as 'unknown'.  There doesn't appear to be any reference to the band on the STOMP website or anywhere on the web for that matter.  The contact information in the credits does show Toronto, so perhaps we can assume the band was from there.  This compilation may be the only place to get this song and it is available on the STOMP website at http://www.unionlabelgroup.com/.  By comparison, used copies on Amazon were trading as high as $100.  You can hear the song, Two Tone Skuds, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDcperIalYc).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Troiano, Album: Fret Fever, Song: Give Me A Chance

"Give me a chance, be what I want to be.  Give me a chance, see what I want to see.  Give me a chance, try things my own way.  What have you got to lose now, if I'm wrong I'll have to pay."  Domenic Troiano was a Toronto guitarist known for his work as a solo artist as well as a member of many bands throughout the sixties and seventies.  He started out with a number of r&b acts in the mid sixties, most notably, Mandala and Bush.  When the seventies rolled around he replaced Joe Walsh in the James Gang, did some time with the Guess Who and released a slew of solo albums.  Fret Fever was his release in 1979 which featured the song, We All Need Love.  This song became a disco smash hit for Domenic and likely his most commercially successful single.  However, a little deeper in to Side 1 on this album reveals the dirtiest little funk song by any Canadian to date.  Give Me A Chance sounds like something from the Ohio Players.  It is just over two minutes of grooving.  Troiano's band featured well known producer David Tyson (Jude Cole, Arrows) on keys, Bob Wilson on bass and Paul DeLong (Kim Mitchell) on drums.  Domenic would continue to write and record up until his death in 2005.  Domenic Troiano is a member of the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame and deservedly so.  I can't think of too many artists that have produced such great work with so many different bands.  Randy Bachman comes to mind and sadly, Domenic never really had the same commercial success as him.  He remains one of our country's most talented and prolific artists that a lot of Canadians might not be aware of.  There is a great website documenting the life and times of Domenic at http://www.troianomusic.com/.  At the time of this blog, there were vinyl copies of Fret Fever for sale on Ebay trading between $5 and $20.  You can hear the song, Give Me A Chance, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr9Mq7GuyTU).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Cats Can Fly, Album: Cats Can Fly, Song: Flippin' To The 'A' Side

"Livin' too long with no special song.  Everything is moving but it always stays the same.  Every field is looking greener and times are gettin' meaner.  Got to turn it all around."  Cats Can Fly were a synth pop band from Toronto.  They formed in 1982 and won a talent contest run by Craven A cigarettes.  They were able to attain more higher profile gigs for themselves and that in turn attracted the interest of CBS/Epic Records.  In 1986, they released their self-titled debut and the song, Flippin' To The 'A' Side, became a Top 20 hit in Canada.  It's a hard to find 80's pop classic whose chorus was etched in most people's brains during that decade.  Unfortunately, CBS went through a re-organization and the band was dropped from the label.  Looking back at the album today, the band actually had a person that was responsible for artistic direction.  Her name was Laura Lapedus and she co-wrote a lot of the songs on the album.  The album was also produced by Lou Pomanti, a master of the keys so to speak, who had his fingerprints all over a number of Canadian albums during that decade.  At the time of this blog there were used vinyl copies trading between $5 and $25 on Ebay and Amazon.  You can watch the video for the song, Flippin' To The 'A' Side, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJGripBLSbY).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: The Works, Album: From Out Of Nowhere, Song: Love Is A Dangerous Weapon

"Love is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.  Love it's a painful lesson.  Gonna make you understand."  The Works were a Toronto band who released their debut in 1989, entitled, From Out Of Nowhere.  Love Is A Dangerous Weapon was the lead off track and one of a few singles on this album that got some good radio play in Toronto.  The songs were well crafted and made for FM radio.  They were signed to A&M records and recorded the album in Florida.  This might explain why Julio Iglesias is thanked within the credits of the album.  The producer was Tom Allom who is responsible for some classic albums from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Def Leppard and the Tourists (early Eurythmics) to name a few!  Unfortunately, this was their only release.  The band would resurface as Wall of Silence in the nineties.  Following that, there really isn't much written about the band or it's members.  I would think that like a lot of hard rock bands entering in to the nineties, the times had changed and fewer listeners were embracing the hard rock sound and opting for grunge instead.  This likely had an effect on this band.  Since then, guitarist Jim Huff has done well for himself as a songwriter and producer.  His Myspace page shows him located in Los Angeles and he has amassed a respectable list of writing and producing credits for television and movies since his rock and roll heyday.  The album, From Out Of Nowhere, is not widely available anymore.  At the time of this blog, there were copies on Ebay and Amazon trading for $50.  You can hear the song, Love Is A Dangerous Weapon, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfQ5GUSnrqo).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Hellfield, Album: Night Music, Song: Sister Blue

"See it in your face.  Love has disappeared without a trace." Hellfield were a band from Toronto that released their debut in 1978.  The leader of the band was Mitchell Field (aka Mitch Hellfield).  Mitchell was a drummer by trade who had played with John Lee Hooker prior to forming his band.  They were signed to CBS records.  Mitchell assumed the vocal duties and handled a lot of the drumming during recording.  I find I really get into bands that have a drummer leading the way.  You can almost guarantee that there is going to be a great back beat to the music.  The song, Sister Blue, off their second and final release, Night Music, is no exception.  It's got a great groove going on and I find Mitch's vocals to be reminiscent of Rod Stewart a bit.  If you enjoy early Black Crowes, you should identify with this song.  Hellfield would call it quits in 1982 after two full length releases.  As the story goes, CBS records were undergoing some changes following the release of Night Music in 1979 and their contract was never renewed.  The band was also tinkering with their sound around the same time on the local bar scene.  Heavy Metal was at it's peak and rock was becoming harder and heavier.  I read somewhere that Mitch released a solo album in 2000 but I can't seem to find a link to it anywhere.  So unfortunately, the man and his music remains a bit of a mystery to date.  The band was an important contributor to the rock scene in Canada during the late seventies.  They toured with Triumph, Little River Band and the Cars.  The album, Night Music, is not widely available.  At the time of this blog, there were copies on Ebay and Music Stack trading between $2 and $70.  You can hear the song, Sister Blue, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC70Klisqlc).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Partland Brothers, Album: Electric Honey, Song: Soul City

"Soul City, that's where were heading.  Dancing and singing till dawn.  Soul City, that's where were going and we won't be back until the money's all gone."  The Partland Brothers were Chris and G.P. Partland who hailed originally from Colgan, Ontario.  They moved to Toronto in the late seventies and in 1982 won the Q107 radio station's Homegrown contest.  This attracted Capital Records and in 1986, they released their debut, Electric Honey.   The album was a beauty and the song, Soul City, rocketed up the charts in Canada and the US.  The success of the album sent them on tour with bands like the Moody Blues and the Beach Boys.  They appeared on American Bandstand and Arsenio Hall.  Top of the world for a couple of northern Ontario boys!  Unfortunately, issues with management stalled their next release. The band would release two more albums by 1992 but never really maintain the same commercial success of their first release.  The brothers never quit though and today continue to record and tour as a family unit which includes brothers, Robin and Kelly as well.  They just recently released their 5th release to date.  You can follow the Partland Brothers at http://www.thepartlandbrothers.com/.  The album, Electric Honey, is available on Itunes.  You can watch the original video for the song, Soul City, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOcmUwddZAQ).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Tweet from the guys:

ThePartlandBros Chris & GP Partland 

Thanks Folks ~ We're Proud To Be Canadians! RT @canadianradio: Canadian Song Of The Day! Partland Brothers -- Soul City 

Artist: Fathead, Album: Where's Your Head At?, Song: Walk Backwards

"Double Double This This.  Double Double That That.  Double This Double That.  Double Double This That!"  Fathead are a 5pc blues band from Toronto.  They've been around the scene for decades and have an early affiliation with Ronnie Hawkins.  Their lead singer, John Mays, was raised in Georgia.  All of their members are accomplished musicians who have shared stages with the likes of James Brown, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Paul Butterfield and members of the The Band.  These guys are tight and after one listen to the song, Walk Backwards, from their 2000 release, Where's Your Head At?, you'll know why.  This song reminds me of New Orleans style funk like the Meters.  The groove is unstoppable.  The band has released 7 albums to date and the most recent was this year.  They are also Juno award winners and are signed to Electro-Fi Records.  They tour regularly and you can likely find them playing within Ontario over the next two months.  You can follow the band at http://www.fathead.biz/.  The album, Where's Your Head At?, is available on Itunes and from Amazon.com.  You can hear the song, Walk Backwards, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYCWq3GMt9E).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: The Chains, Album: On Top Of Things!, Song: Her Name Is Love

"I got a new girl, she keeps hanging around. You know she comes from the bad side of town.  Said she knew where to have a good time.  She said take it easy, let go of your mind."  The Chains were a 5pc from Montreal.  They were Alexandre Boivin, Eric Boulanger, Frederic Charest, Jean-Philippe Cournoyer and Sebastien Hould.  They recorded their debut, On Top Of Things!, in 2002.  Their sound would make you think otherwise though.  They perfected the Garage Rock sound of the 60's on this recording and were signed by the coolest indie label on the planet, Get Hip Records, in Pennsylvania.  I heard the band for the first time on Little Steven's Underground Garage.  A syndicated radio program that a lot of regional stations picked up to broadcast on Sunday nights.  He liked to play a real blend of rock music from all decades and he was a big fan of Indie labels like Get Hip.  The song, Her Name Is Love, is the lead off track to the album.  It was written by Boivin and Hould.  Unfortunately, there isn't any easy information to find on the band and it looks like they may have broken up.  Get Hip's website, http://www.gethip.com/, still carries the album but it doesn't appear they are currently working with the band.  There are also a few other bands with the same name which can complicate things.  Nonetheless, if you like your rock straight up, this disc is for you.  It is also available on Itunes.  You can hear the song, Her Name is Love, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWg_jRBpiNo).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Album: Sister Anthony, Song: The Little Vagabond

"But if at the church they would give us some ale and a pleasant fire, our souls to regale.  We'd sing and we'd pray all the live long day nor ever once wish from the church to stray."  The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir were an 8pc (and perhaps more than that at times) from Toronto, Ontario that began performing in 1985.  A truly independent band that sweated it out on the bar scene for a decade at least.  Their first three releases were cassette only productions and often distributed at their shows.  Sister Anthony was one of them and was recorded and released in 1990.  Through video play, indie/campus radio and a song included on the soundtrack of the Bruce McDonald film, Highway 61, the band attracted interest from Yonder Records.  This would help them attain better distribution for their two later releases in 1992 and 1995.  It also enabled this release, Sister Anthony, to be re-issued on CD in 1995.  The song, Little Vagabond, is a William Blake poem set to music.  It sounds like it was recorded in a pub and brings back memories of artists like Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues.  The band would go through a number of line up changes through the years and in 1995, actually relocated to New York to try and improve their career.  They broke up shortly thereafter and two members, Chris Brown and Kate Fenner would attempt to continue the band as a duo.  Most of the members remain active in music and became members of other Canadian bands or successful session players.  This band's fingerprints are all over a number of Canadian acts like Broken Social Scene and Tom Cochrane.  Ani DiFranco and Gordie Johnson have worked on their releases and Howie Beck was actually a member of the band in the nineties.  Today, their music is only available second hand.  At the time of this blog, there were no copies available of Sister Anthony.  The band has released a Best of compilation which includes the song, The Little Vagabond.  There were copies for sale on Amazon between $45 and $115.  You can also download an episode of The Rawside Of.... series on Itunes that features the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir.  You can hear the song, The Little Vagabond, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbfFaMyuah8).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: JFK, Album: FM 102 1989 Modern Rock, Song: A Tribute To Peter And The Wolf

This will be the first of many blogs that will showcase a regional band and song that was released through a talent type search.  This was quite a common way of uncovering local talent in previous decades of radio and it seems to have lost it's appeal.  I really enjoyed the releases that I can remember from a number of stations in the Toronto area.  To date, I've likely blogged about a few of the more successful acts that were born from these types of contests.  However, there were countless other bands that took part and released some great music.  They received airplay and for one reason or another were never able to take the next step in their musical careers.  CFNY or FM102 was a cool free form alternative station from the burbs (Brampton) that sprouted up in the late seventies.  It was actually the inspiration for the Rush song, Spirit Of The Radio.  I tuned in during the eighties and according to some radio purists, the station was beginning to lose it's free approach to programming.  Nonetheless, I remember it as a station where I could hear everything from British new wave to dance music to reggae and blues.  They also played a lot of homegrown talent and for a kid from outside the city that couldn't always get in to see shows, it was a vital connection to a new musical world.  In 1989, the station continued it's modern rock search for local talent and released a compilation of the contestants.  I'm not exactly sure if JFK won the contest but their song, A Tribute To Peter And The Wolf, is a great new wave classic.  The song incorporates a sample of the childhood story, Peter And The Wolf.  The band was made up of two individuals, Mark Reid and Steven Boyle.  Mark was actually from Scotland originally.  Unfortunately, I don't know much else about the band or what they accomplished following this contest. At the time of this blog, I could not find any copies of this release available.  You can listen to the song, A Tribute To Peter And The Wolf, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_oX1eNyRvA).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Artist: Breit Bros., Album: Breit Bros., Song: Slow Train

"I gotta find a better way.  Nothing can be slower than a slow train."  The Breit Bros. were from Toronto, Ontario.  They were Gary, Garth and Kevin Breit and Ian DeSouza.  They were signed to BMG records and released their self-titled debut in 1988.  Their sound was roots based rock which enabled the band to gain radio support at both rock and alternative stations.  The album had a few singles and got some decent radio and video play.  The song, Slow Train, really shows off the band's ability to craft the perfect country pop song.  Kevin's guitar playing is so addictive it makes you want to listen to this track 50 times over.  The album was recorded in a bunch of places including England, Toronto, New York and at the Lanois Brother's studios on Grant Ave. in Hamilton.  As far as I know, this was their only release.  It was produced by Tom Treumuth, who was a man with the golden touch in Canada, bringing bands like Honeymoon Suite, Helix and Big Sugar to the public ear.  Both Gary and Kevin Breit would go on to become successful session players for  many famous artists like Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Kim Mitchell and Bryan Adams.  Both are still active in music today.  There are numerous videos of Kevin's unique style of guitar playing on You Tube to enjoy.  He is involved with a number of different bands and just released a solo album of his own.  You can follow Kevin at http://www.kevinbreit.com.  The Breit Bros. debut album is a difficult find today.  At the time of this blog, there were copies on Ebay and Amazon trading between $10 and $100.  You can hear the song, Slow Train, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFBMs1lUkwk).  As always, you can hear this song as well as others that I blog about each day on Live 365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/raisedoncndnradio).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!